You can create a SmartArt graphic that uses a Venn diagram layout in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. Venn diagrams are ideal for illustrating the similarities and differences between several different groups or concepts.

Overview of Venn diagrams

A Venn diagram uses overlapping circles to illustrate the similarities, differences, and relationships between concepts, ideas, categories, or groups. Similarities between groups are represented in the overlapping portions of the circles, while differences are represented in the non-overlapping portions of the circles.

1 Each large group is represented by one of the circles.

2 Each overlapping area represents similarities between two large groups or smaller groups that belong to the two larger groups.

Click a layout option in the Layouts group on the Design tab under SmartArt Tools. When you point to a layout option, your SmartArt graphic changes to show you a preview of how it would look with that layout. Choose the layout that you want.

To show overlapping relationships in a sequence, click Linear Venn.

To show overlapping relationships with an emphasis on growth or gradation, click Stacked Venn.

To show overlapping relationships and the relationship to a central idea, click Radial Venn.

To quickly add a designer-quality look and polish to your SmartArt graphic, you can change the colors of your Venn diagram. You can also add effects, such as glows, soft edges, or 3-D effects.

You can apply color combinations that are derived from the theme colors to the circles in your SmartArt graphic.

Click the SmartArt graphic whose color that you want to change.

Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the SmartArt Styles group, click Change Colors.

If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

Tip: When you position your pointer over a thumbnail, you can see how the colors affect your SmartArt graphic.

Change the line color or style of a circle's border

In the SmartArt graphic, right-click the border of the circle you want to change, and then click Format Shape.

In the Format Shape pane, if necessary, click the arrow next to Line to expose all the options, and then do one of the following:

To change the color of the circle’s border, click Color
, and then click the color that you want.

To change the line style of the circle’s border, select the line styles that you want, such as Transparency, Width, or Dash Type.

Change the background color of a circle in your Venn diagram

Click the SmartArt graphic that you want to change.

Right-click the border of a circle, and then click Format Shape.

In the Format Shape pane, under Fill, click Solid fill.

Click Color
, and then click the color that you want.

To change the background to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab are not updated if you later change the document theme.

To increase the transparency of the shapes in the diagram, move the Transparency slider or enter a number in the box next to the slider. You can vary the percentage of transparency from 0% (fully opaque, the default setting) to 100% (fully transparent).

Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the Create Graphic group, click Text Pane.If you do not see SmartArt Tools or the Design tab, make sure that you have selected a SmartArt graphic. You may need to double-click the SmartArt graphic to open the Design tab.

Do one of the following:

Click [Text] in the Text pane, and then type your text.

Copy text from another location or program, click [Text] in the Text pane, and then paste your text.

Click a circle in the SmartArt graphic, and then type your text.

In the Text pane, under Type your text here, select a bullet and type your text.

Note: You can also open the Text pane by clicking the control.

Add text to the overlapping portions of the circles

You cannot add text to the overlapping portions of a Venn diagram from the Text pane. Instead, you can insert text boxes and position them over the overlapping areas.

Right-click the Venn diagram that you want to change, and then click Change Layout.

In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, click Relationship in the left pane, and in the right pane do one of the following:

To show overlapping relationships in a sequence, click Linear Venn.

To show overlapping relationships with an emphasis on growth or gradation, click Stacked Venn.

To show overlapping relationships and the relationship to a central idea, click Radial Venn.

Note: You can also change the layout of your SmartArt graphic by clicking a layout option in the Layouts group on the Design tab under SmartArt Tools. When you point to a layout option, your SmartArt graphic changes to show you a preview of how it would look with that layout.

To quickly add a designer-quality look and polish to your SmartArt graphic, you can change the colors of your Venn diagram. You can also add effects, such as glows, soft edges, or 3-D effects.

You can apply color combinations that are derived from the theme colors to the circles in your SmartArt graphic.

Click the SmartArt graphic whose color that you want to change.

Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the SmartArt Styles group, click Change Colors.

If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

Tip: When you position your pointer over a thumbnail, you can see how the colors affect your SmartArt graphic.

Change the line color or style of a circle's border

In the SmartArt graphic, right-click the border of the circle you want to change, and then click Format Shape.

In the Format Shape dialog box, do one of the following:

To change the color of the circle’s border, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click Color
, and then click the color that you want.

To change the line style of the circle’s border, click Line Style in the left pane, in the Line Style pane, and then select the line styles that you want.

Change the background color of a circle in your Venn diagram

Click the SmartArt graphic that you want to change.

Right-click the border of a circle, and then click Format Shape.

In the Format Shape dialog box, in the left pane click Fill, and then in the Fill pane click Solid fill.

Click Color
, and then click the color that you want.

To change the background to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab are not updated if you later change the document theme.

To increase the transparency of the shapes in the diagram, move the Transparency slider or enter a number in the box next to the slider. You can vary the percentage of transparency from 0% (fully opaque, the default setting) to 100% (fully transparent).

Click the existing circle that is located closest to where you want to add the new circle.

Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the Create Graphic group, click the arrow under Add Shape.

If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

Do one of the following:

To insert a circle after the selected circle, that will overlap the selected circle, click Add Shape After.

To insert a circle before the selected circle, that will overlap the selected circle, click Add Shape Before.

When you need to add a circle to your Venn diagram, experiment with adding the shape before or after the selected circle to get the placement you want for the new circle. It's simple to fix common SmartArt mistakes.

To add a circle from the Text pane, click an existing circle, move your cursor before or after the text where you want to add the circle, and then press ENTER.

To delete a circle from your Venn diagram, click the circle you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

Right-click the Venn diagram that you want to change, and then click Change Layout.

Click Relationship, and then do one of the following:

To show overlapping relationships in a sequence, click Linear Venn.

To show overlapping relationships with an emphasis on growth or gradation, click Stacked Venn.

To show overlapping relationships and the relationship to a central idea, click Radial Venn.

Note: You can also change the layout of your SmartArt graphic by clicking a layout option in the Layouts group on the Design tab under SmartArt Tools. When you point to a layout option, your SmartArt graphic changes to show you a preview of how it would look with that layout.

To quickly add a designer-quality look and polish to your SmartArt graphic, you can change the colors or apply a SmartArt Style to your Venn diagram. You can also add effects, such as glows, soft edges, or 3-D effects. Using PowerPoint 2007 presentations, you can animate your Venn diagram.

You can apply color combinations that are derived from the theme colors to the circles in your SmartArt graphic.

Click the SmartArt graphic whose color you want to change.

Under SmartArt Tools, on the Design tab, in the SmartArt Styles group, click Change Colors.

If you don't see the SmartArt Tools or Design tabs, make sure that you've selected the SmartArt graphic.

Tip: When you place your pointer over a thumbnail, you can see how the colors affect your SmartArt graphic.

Change the line color or style of a circle's border

In the SmartArt graphic, right-click the border of the circle you want to change, and then click Format Shape.

To change the color of the circle's border, click Line Color, click Color
, and then click the color that you want.

To change the style of the circle's border, click Line Style, and then choose the line styles you want.

Change the background color of a circle in your Venn diagram

Click the SmartArt graphic you want to change.

Right-click the border of a circle, and then click Format Shape.

Click Fill, and then click Solid fill.

Click Color
, and then click the color that you want.

To change the background to a color that is not in the theme colors, click More Colors, and then either click the color that you want on the Standard tab or mix your own color on the Custom tab. Custom colors and colors on the Standard tab are not updated if you later change the document theme.

To specify how much you can see through the background color, move the Transparency slider, or enter a number in the box next to the slider. You can vary the percentage of transparency from 0% (fully opaque, the default setting) to 100% (fully transparent).